the reason
by lostinthemusicx11
Summary: ONESHOT/Anyone who knew Spencer also knew she never did anything without a reason. Especially when Toby had become her reason for living. Toby was her rock. And God, she needed him. -Spoby 3x09/3x12-


**Dear Readers,**

**I'm aware that I keep changing the way I write my author's notes, but trust me when I say there's a reason behind it. I've been on fanfiction for about two or three years now, so I get tired of doing the same thing all the time. Well that, and I want to give you a little bit of insight on how each of my stories come to be when I post here. So here goes… **_**You know when you just watch a scene and something inside of you clicks? That's how I felt the first time I saw Spencer's call to Toby in 3x09.**_** I knew had to write about it because there's so much lying beneath the surface with those two lovebirds currently, thanks to **_**–A**_** yet again **_**(please note my sarcasm here), though little is resolved.**_** And so without further adieu, here's my newest little fic, entitled, "The Reason." I get a lot of inspiration while listening to music as well, so thanks to Hoobastank for this one!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: Uh-uh. But I wish. **_**That goes for the lyrics, too.**_

**I apologize in advance for any spelling/grammar errors.**

* * *

_I've found a reason for me_

_To change who I used to be_

_A reason to start over new_

_And the reason is you_

_-The Reason; Hoobastank_

* * *

_Hey. Um, I just called to say I miss you. I'm worried about you and…I just really miss you…_

Spencer Hastings was not the type of person to admit weakness. Or at least, she didn't used to be. Having grown up in a strict, image obsessed family, failure was never an option and neither was defeat, let alone any type of emotion whatsoever. There were just certain things quote unquote _"perfect"_ people didn't do.

And although Spencer remained very much of a perfectionist, the past seventeen years of her life indicated her far cry from total flawlessness.

Spencer had kissed two of her sister's boyfriends _(well one boyfriend and one fiancé, but you know, minor details). _She had plagiarized her sister's prize-winning AP Russian History essay. She'd failed to stick up for herself and her peers at her friend, Alison DiLaurentis's harsh and often enough manipulative hand. She'd judged people unfairly.

_And nobody knew this better than her boyfriend, Toby._

Before he and Spencer got together, she'd wrongly accused him of murdering her former best friend, she'd called him names and even crossed the opposite side of the street like most people did in Rosewood when they saw him coming. But then the fates shifted, she realized Toby wasn't all bad _**(or rather, bad at all),**_ and she fell in love with him. She found her _"safe place to land."_

Of course _–A_ had zoned in on that and certain things had been done which caused a rift between the two of them. Wren came back, he'd admitted he kissed her, she got arrested, and Emily broke up with him for her **_(though not necessarily in that order)._**

_And now? _

Now, after an emotional reunion on the night of the masquerade ball along with five months of pure bliss, Toby was gone again thanks to more trouble from _–A. Or rather, -A No. 2. _Sometimes it felt like the beast had never even left and was never going to. Which had been the reason Spencer had lied to Toby yet again. Anyone who knew Spencer also knew she never did anything without a reason.

Especially when Toby had become her reason for living. When he had saved her from her dysfunctional family, their superficiality, and the unwarranted opinions of the citizens who inhabited their even more dysfunctional, superficial town. Toby was her rock. _And God, she needed him._

After closing out of her email account and turning off her MacBook, Spencer grabbed her cell phone off her bed, prepared to call Toby again. She dialed his number and waited for the line to ring, but frowned when the automated voice of his answering machine said, "mailbox full." She sighed heavily, hung up the call, and proceeded to pace the length of her bedroom floor. Not hearing back from Toby was killing her, really killing her, and if he didn't return her message soon, she might literally drop dead. She hated when they fought, and even worse when one of them froze the other out.

_There'd been enough of that already._

**-::-**

Two days later at around twelve o'clock midnight, Toby finally returns Spencer's call. His tone sounds fairly good considering he's away from her and there's no traces of anger or hurt in his voice.

"I just called to return your message. Are you okay?"

"Not really. But I'm a little better now that I know you are. I really miss you."

"I know, Spence, I miss you, too."

A pregnant pause hangs in between them.

"So when will you be coming back? If you're coming back at all, I mean…"

"I'm finishing up a job. Should be done in two or three weeks."

"Oh good. So I guess I'll see you then?"

"Sure. See you then."

Toby hangs up and so does Spencer before she collapses on her bed in sobs. All her emotions are running wild together: happiness, relief, longing, loneliness. She's just not confident she can wait much longer to see Toby. _Not when he's been gone for so long._

And still, Spencer reminds herself that waiting to see the boy _(or man, whichever way you look at it)_ she's in love with, is better than never seeing him again at all.

**-::-**

She recognizes the purr of his motorcycle the instant it pulls up to the gates of her parents' house, er, _mansion _and sprints from her bedroom all the way to the back door and through the yard. She pushes open the heavy wrought-iron gate and smiles when she stares into his gorgeous baby blue eyes.

"Toby."

"Spencer."

Immediately he drops his helmet on the back of his seat and flings his arms around her, lifting her off of the ground. Their foreheads touch, their noses brush, and then they kiss, long and passionately.

A few minutes later, he lets her down, his fingers instinctively curling with hers.

"You don't know how long I've been dying to do that." He smiles.

Spencer chuckles. "Oh believe me, I do."

They kiss again, though this time, it's shorter and sweeter before she pulls him inside and onto the porch. They continue holding hands and she rests her head on his shoulder.

"I'm really happy you're here, Toby." Spencer admits, tracing imaginary shapes on his weathered and calloused hands. "I wasn't sure you were ever going to come back."

He sighs. "As much as I hate it here, I'd never leave."

"Give me one reason."

"She's sitting next to me."

And for Spencer, that is enough.

"You know I really love you, right? I may never say it, but I do."

"Of course." Toby nods. "Because, I love you, too."

Spencer smiles, squeezing his hand lightly. "Toby, you are my reason for everything. You saved me from the person I used to be."

Now he smiles. "Glad I could help." And leaning closer, they share one final, perfect kiss.

_**Fin.**_

* * *

**So, what'd you think? I have to admit that this was one of my favorite stories to write. I really love Toby's character and the entire arc of his storyline with Spencer from 1x13 on, lol. Also, this may be the only story I post for a while, because I return to school tomorrow, August 27****th**** (Joy! **_**Not!**_**). I'm definitely going to try to write during the semester, but I can't make any promises, which sucks since writing **_**(and especially sharing it with you all here on fanfiction)**_** is my passion. I don't know, I guess I'll figure something out. Thanks again, everyone. Everything you do for me means the world! **

**;) Chris**

**P.S. Who else can't wait for Toby to come back Tuesday? _(Hi, Ana ;))_ I thought he was in 3x11, but I was sadly mistaken, so yeah... _3x12 is going to rock! _I can't wait! #TheBetrAyal #FinaleFever #SoExcited**


End file.
